Image data recording method and image data recording apparatus

Abstract

Upon copying or moving an image file assigned a file name and containing image data and at least either a shooting date and time related to the image data or exposure related information at the time of shooting to record the image file onto recording means, the file name of the image file to be to be recorded at present is compared with file names of image files already recorded on the recording means. As a result of comparison, when there is no image file having the same file name, the image file to be recorded at present is recorded, or when there is an image file having the same file name, two image files are compared in terms of at least either the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting. Then, as a result of comparison, when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording means.

1 . An image data recording method comprising the steps of: upon copying or moving an image file assigned a file name and containing image data and at least either a shooting date and time related to the image data or exposure related information at the time of shooting to record the image file onto a recording medium,
 comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   recording the image file to be recorded at present when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison, or when there is an image file having the same file name, comparing two image files having the same file name in terms of at least either the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting, and as a result of comparison, when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       2 . The image data recording method according to  claim 1  wherein when there is an image file having the same file name as a result of the comparison, the two image files having the same file name are compared in terms of both the shooting date and time and the exposure related information at the time of shooting. 
   
   
       3 . The image data recording method according to  claim 1  wherein upon changing the file name of at least either of the two image files determined to have the same file name and determined to be different in the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting as a result of the comparisons, the file name before being changed is recorded in the image file the file name of which is changed. 
   
   
       4 . The image data recording method according to  claim 3  wherein when the image file the file name of which is changed is recorded on the recording medium, the file name is made restorable to the file name before changed, and upon restoring the file name of the image file to the file name before changed, the file name that has been changed before being restored is further recorded in the image file. 
   
   
       5 . An image data recording method comprising the steps of: upon copying or moving an image file having image data and assigned a file name to record the image file onto a recording medium;
 comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   recording the image file when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison, or when there is an image file having the same file name, comparing two image files having the same file name in terms of data volume or individual image information representing one piece of image data, and as a result of comparison, when the data volume or the individual image information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the data volume or the individual image information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       6 . The image data recording method according to  claim 5  wherein the individual image information representing one piece of image data to be compared includes part or whole of the one piece of image data. 
   
   
       7 . An image data recording method comprising the steps of: upon moving or copying an image file created on a camera onto a recording medium, the camera having ID information capable of identifying the model of the camera and creating the image file having a file name and containing image data created based on an acquired subject image and the ID information;
 comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   recording the image file when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison, or when there is an image file having the same file name, comparing two image files having the same file name in terms of the ID information, and as a result of comparison, when the ID information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the ID information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       8 . An image data recording method comprising the steps of: upon moving or copying an image file created on a camera onto a recording medium, the camera having ID information different from camera to camera so that each camera can be identified individually and creating the image file having a file name and containing image data created based on an acquired subject image and the ID information;
 comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   recording the image file when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison, or when there is an image file having the same file name, comparing two image files having the same file name in terms of the ID information, and as a result of comparison, when the ID information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the ID information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       9 . An image data recording method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring an image file, which is assigned a file name and has an image data recording area for recording image data and image-related information recording area for recording at least either a shooting date and time related to the image data or exposure related information at the time of shooting;   creating a new file name for which the file name of the acquired image file is changed; and   changing the file name of the acquired image file to the new file name while recording the file name before being changed in the image-related information recording area of the image file and recording the image file on a recording medium.   
   
   
       10 . The image data recording method according to  claim 9  wherein the file name of the image file is restored to the file name before changed, which is recorded in the image-related information recording area, while further recording the file name before being restored in the image-related information recording area. 
   
   
       11 . An image data recording apparatus comprising:
 a recording medium for recording an image file moved or copied thereto, the image file assigned a file name and containing image data and at least either of a shooting date and time related to the image data and exposure related information at the time of shooting;   a comparison part for comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   a control part which records the image file to be recorded at present when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison by the comparison part, or when there is an image file having the same file name, which compares two image files having the same file name in terms of at least either the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting, and as a result of comparison, when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       12 . The image data recording apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein when there is an image file having the same file name as a result of the comparison by the comparison part, the control part compares the two image files having the same file name in terms of both the shooting date and time and the exposure related information at the time of shooting. 
   
   
       13 . The image data recording apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein upon changing the file name of at least either of the two image files determined to have the same file name as a result of the comparison by the comparison part and determined to be different in the shooting date and time or the exposure related information at the time of shooting, the control part records the file name before being changed in the image file the file name of which is changed. 
   
   
       14 . The image data recording apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein when the image file the file name of which is changed is recorded on the recording medium, the control parts makes the file name of the image file restorable to the file name before changed, and upon restoring the file name of the image file to the file name before changed, the file name before being restored is further recorded in the image file. 
   
   
       15 . An image data recording apparatus comprising:
 a recording medium for recording an image file moved or copied thereto, the image file assigned a file name and containing image data;   a comparison part for comparing a file name of an image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   a control part for recording the image file to be recorded at present when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison by the comparison part, or when there is an image file having the same file name, which compares two image files having the same file name in terms of data volume or individual image information representing one piece of image data, and as a result of comparison, when the data volume or the individual image information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the data volume or the individual image information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       16 . The image data recording apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the individual image information representing one piece of image data to be compared includes part or whole of the one piece of image data. 
   
   
       17 . An image data recording apparatus comprising:
 a recording medium for recording an image file moved or copied thereto, the image file created on a camera having ID information capable of identifying the model of the camera and creating the image file having a file name and containing image data created based on an acquired subject image and the ID information;   a comparison part for comparing the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   a control part which records the image file when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison by the comparison part, or when there is an image file having the same file name, which compares two image files having the same file name in terms of the ID information, and as a result of comparison, when the ID information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the ID information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       18 . An image data recording apparatus comprising:
 a recording medium for recording an image file moved or copied thereto, the image file created on a camera having ID information different from camera to camera so that each camera can be identified individually and creating the image file having a file name and containing image data created based on an acquired subject image and the ID information;   a comparison part for the file name of the image file to be recorded at present with file names of image files already recorded on the recording medium; and   a control part which records the image file when there is no image file having the same file name as a result of comparison by the comparison part, or when there is an image file having the same file name, which compares two image files having the same file name in terms of the ID information, and as a result of comparison, when the ID information is the same between the two image files, the image file to be recorded at present is not recorded, while when the ID information is different between the two image files, at least either of the file names of the two image files is changed and the image file to be recorded at present is recorded on the recording medium.   
   
   
       19 . An image data recording apparatus comprising:
 a file name creating part for acquiring an image file, which is assigned a file name and has an image data recording area for recording image data and image-related information recording area for recording at least either a shooting date and time related to the image data or exposure related information at the time of shooting, to create a new file name for which the file name of the acquired image file is changed; and   a control part for changing the file name of the acquired image file to the file name newly created by the file name creating part while recording the file name before being changed in the image-related information recording area of the image file and recording the image file on a recording medium.   
   
   
       20 . The image data recording apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein the control part restores the file name of the image file to the file name before changed, which is recorded in the image-related information recording area, while further recording the file name before being restored in the image-related information recording area.